


Pretty as an Angel

by greywardenblue



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: M/M, Underage Drinking, Valentine's Day, well for the US anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-23
Updated: 2016-02-23
Packaged: 2018-05-22 19:20:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6091390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greywardenblue/pseuds/greywardenblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Simon is drunk, he gets talkative, and sometimes things he was meaning to keep a secret slip out. This causes many headaches for Clary, and much amusement for Raphael. (A Valentine's gift for @raphaelsantiagosavedhimself on tumblr.  <3)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pretty as an Angel

There was absolutely no denying it: Simon Lewis was a lightweight.

“Only a few drinks,” Magnus had said. “None of you are twenty-one yet.” But it seemed like a few drinks were more than enough to turn Simon into…

“Honestly, he’s not more annoying than usual,” Jace had said. “You barely notice the difference.”

By now, most of their friends had disappeared into the crowd and Simon was left alone with Clary who tolerated his excited, drunken rambling with a smile on her face. She was truly the best friend anyone could have ever asked for.

“Many people hate them because they think Darth Vader being a whiny teenager takes away from his character, you know? But I think it actually gives him depth and makes him even more interesting, and his relationship with Obi-Wan makes the original movies so much more heartbreaking…”

Suddenly, Simon went quiet, and Clary had a bad feeling about it. She turned to find where the boy was looking, and immediately reached for his hand when she saw who just entered the club.

Unfortunately, it seemed the drinks put Simon in a ridiculously social mood.

“Raphael!” The excitement in the boy’s voice was _worrying_. “I never thought you’d show up here. Magnus says you always talk about how much you hate this place.”

The vampire in question frowned at them and it seemed he would have liked to walk away without a word, but Simon took several steps forward, pulling Clary with him. ( _Damn that vampire strength_.)

“Simon, I think we should go find the others,” she said quickly, but it seemed that against all odds, Raphael Santiago decided to give in to social interaction.

“Daylighter,” he said, his face looking like he was smelling something bad. “Morgenstern’s daughter.”

“What’s that?” Simon reached for something purple on Raphael’s immaculate black jacket. Raphael grabbed his hand quickly and Clary’s hand went to her seraph blade as a reflex.

“It was a gift,” Raphael said slowly. The small pin looked like a bat. How original. 

“Oh, that makes sense. I just never see you wear much color, but purple looks good on you. Royal. You look very good in this jacket. And your eyebrows, they look great! Supernaturally great. I’ve been meaning to ask, do you pencil them on?” Somewhere during the rant, Raphael let go of Simon’s hand, but the boy went on like he didn’t even notice it.

“Simon, we should _really_ –”

Neither Raphael, nor Clary could get a single word in as Simon spoke without taking a breath. Though Raphael didn’t seem to try at all– Clary couldn’t decide whether he was amused, or just far too perplexed to say anything.

“Still, very pretty. You’re very pretty. You know, my mother used to call me her pretty little angel before I told her– well, she stopped after that, and then she said we don’t call boys pretty, you know? But that’s stupid, because you’re– you’re the prettiest angel I’ve ever–”

“ALEC.”

Alec, who accidentally walked by close enough for Clary to see him, flinched at the shout and reached for his bow before he remembered he didn’t have it on him. Many people turned to stare at the redhead, especially as she continued to shout, but she didn’t seem to care.

“Alec, hey! Did you see Jace and Izzy? _Come on_ , Simon, let’s go.”

Clary dragged Simon away without another look at Raphael. She didn’t see the vampires eyes widen, and the way he stared after them with a puzzled look on his face.

–

Simon always thought vampires couldn’t have hangovers, but no– of course that was still _a thing_. Clary was endlessly amused by his pain, and she repeated all the embarrassing things Simon said the previous night, causing him to groan and push her away playfully. (Well, he thought she repeated _everything_.)

They spent the morning and early afternoon together, but then Clary had Shadowhunter business, and that was fine. They were still best friends, but Simon knew they couldn’t be together all the time. In the evening, Simon was on his way to hang out with Maia who might or might not have also invited Lily, but as he passed a small café that was already closed, he nearly bumped into the person stepping out.

“Oh–hey.”

Raphael was holding a paper bag, apparently filled with warm, sugary cookies if his nose was to be believed. He also did not return Simon’s greeting, only eyed him quietly. Simon cleared his throat.

“Nice… pin. Bats. They’re nice.”

“You don’t remember much from last night, do you?”

Simon paused. That definitely sounded like he should have been remembering something. He had some flashes that suggested that he met Raphael last night, and Clary confirmed they ran into the vampire, but she said the conversation was brief.

“Uhh…”

Raphael shook his head, and thanks to a nearby streetlamp, Simon could very clearly see him smirking.

“Do you really think I’m  _pretty,_ Daylighter?”

Oh.

_Oh_.

He was going to _kill_ Clary.

Well, not really. More like, he was going to climb into Clary’s room in Luke and Jocelyn’s house, hide under her bed and _never_ come out.

“You’re… fairly good-looking,” Simon got out finally while feeling like someone was gripping his throat very tight and trying to keep the sounds from coming out, “– most of your facial features are in the right place?”

“ _Most?_ ”

Raphael seemed more amused than anyone had any right to be. Simon often wondered about the kind of things that made Raphael Santiago feel something akin to happiness, but apparently the Daylighter squirming was on top of that list. _One mystery solved_.

“Well, yeah, I mean… your… your eyebrows, for example…”

“Are supernaturally great?”

“Uhh–”

“Look like I penciled them on?”

Simon looked defeated.

“Alright. Go on. What else did I say?”

Raphael seemed to consider his answer carefully.

“Not much else. But if a couple of drinks make you this talkative, I might have to buy next time. –That is, I would be, if you were of age.”

“I am a vampire! I will always look like this. Does it really matter?”

There was a pause. Raphael pouted.

“ _Yes_ , it matters.”

Simon had a strange feeling that maybe Raphael was talking about more than drinks. –Wait, did he just say that he would…

“But you would… buy me drinks?”

Raphael stepped closer.

“Not if you call me an _angel_ ever again,” he said quietly, the light of the nearby streetlamp embracing him like a halo. Simon thought maybe learning to lie would be worth it.

He was suddenly very aware of Raphael’s closeness, _not close enough to kiss, but too close to just talk_ , and his eyes shifted to the paper bag between them.

“I should have known you had a sweet tooth.”

Raphael looked down too and snorted.

“I’m going to the hospital. Visiting.”

“I thought there was a specific time for that in hospitals. I’m afraid you’re a little late.”

The older boy said nothing.

“So, uhh… the pin. Who was it a gift from?”

“Your memories are coming back?”

“Sort of.”

“It was Elliott. It is cheesy, but he must have thought…” Raphael shrugged, but he didn’t seem to know how to finish the sentence.

“You still wear the jacket I gave you,” Simon found himself saying before he could stop it. He had never addressed it before, though he always meant to. “The one I bought to replace the one I– you’ve been wearing it ever since.”

“It’s comfortable. And you _did_ ruin my other one.”

“The pin’s comfortable, too?”

Silence.

“You can just admit to being sentimental, you know.” There was a light teasing in Simon’s voice.

Raphael took a step back, and Simon’s heart sunk.

“You think you are on the same level as Elliott and Lily, Daylighter?”

“No– of course not! I know they are your friends, and I… I’m just… well, I’m not.”

Raphael was silent.

“I’m sorry,” Simon added quickly, like that could drive away the cold suddenly settling around them.

“They are my friends.”

Simon could barely tell if he was hearing the whisper, or just guessing the words from the shape of Raphael’s lips. (Either way, he didn’t mind looking at Raphael’s lips.)

“And they think I should take more risks sometimes.”

Simon nodded, and waited for the other to say something else, but Raphael seemed to be waiting for an answer. Simon wondered if he missed the question. They looked at each other silently for a few seconds, then Simon stepped closer - with Raphael’s steps back and forth earlier, in a silent movie, it might have looked like they were dancing together very, very slowly.

“What kind of risks?”

Raphael shrugged, and the motion seemed to bring him the fraction of an inch closer to Simon.

“Like getting attached.”

Simon felt his legs shaking madly as he took the smallest possible step.

“Attached?”

Raphael said nothing, then suddenly he closed the distance between them with a single step. His lips touched Simon’s cheeks that would have flushed bright red if it had been possible.

“I’d better hurry, so I don’t miss my appointment.”

He took out a single cookie from the bag and pressed it into Simon’s palm, then walked off before the boy could have recovered from the shock.

Simon stared at the gift in his hand.

It was _so_ like Raphael to give him a sweet on Valentine’s Day that he could not digest properly.

He grinned and carefully slid it into his pocket before continuing on his way to Maia’s. (And if Lily was giving him strange looks all evening, well, she must not have known anything, did she?)


End file.
